1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to articulated arms used to position microphones, intravenous fluid bags, displays, lamps, magnifiers, cameras, and similar apparatuses, instruments and tools in a variety of locations.
2. Background Information
Articulated arms with springs and joints have been used for many years. For example, microphone booms, booms or holder for medical dispensing or other such purposes, and for large magnifiers with lighting have been used in industry for many years. Typically the joints in such arms incorporate a range of motions where the microphone (or other such apparatus being supported by the arm) can be positioned over a solid angle of nearly 360 degrees, and can be positioned near the base support for the arm or a distance from the base equal to the full extension of the arm.
One example of the limitations of prior art applications, electrical wires may run completely external to the supporting boom and be susceptible to damage or misuse. In another instance the wires need to be threaded through hollow tubes that form the structural parts of the arms. Such threading is inefficient and tends to preclude automation.
Often electrical (or other types) connectors are used with wires. When a boom supports a microphone and the electrical wires are threaded through the tube, the size of the connectors must be small enough to fit through the hollow in the arm to allow threading. In practice any connector must be much smaller that the tube inner diameter. The manufacturer has unattractive choices: to make the arms large enough to accommodate standard connectors, to buy special connectors small enough, or to use connectors that are larger than the hollow in the arm, and cannot be threaded therethrough.
Making the arms larger may be esthetically unattractive and therefore less appealing to the buyer. Making special connectors is expensive, and using larger connectors renders such assemblies difficult to service or repair. Making connections after the electrical wire is threaded through the arm may be practical during manufacturing but is not in the field. Replacing connectors in the field makes are unreliable and are not acceptable.
To accommodate the flexibility of the arm joints, wires threaded in the arms are looped at each joint to reduce strain.
As mentioned above, a limitation of prior art assemblies is servicing electrical wires, or other such wires or tubes, that are occasionally damaged in the field. In such an instance, the entire assembly needs to be disassembled and the wiring threaded through the hollowed arms. If the connectors do not fit through the hollow tube, they must be added in the field. As mentioned above, this repair task, if possible, is difficult, expensive and time consuming. Alternatively, the entire assembly may be replaced which is costly.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a more accessible means for replacing the electrical wires in such lamp assemblies and to provide an assembly that accommodates a wide variety of electrical connectors and wiring.